Red Foxes fall short in district

The Red Foxes took to the diamond on Wednesday afternoon against Wando only needing to win one game in the schedule doubleheader. They had already defeated Wando 10-2 in the two teams’ first meeting.

Both games were hard-fought, but Hartsville fell 2-1 and 6-3.

In game one, David Leeth took the hill for the Foxes against Wando’s Drew Cisco. Both pitchers pitched an excellent game that only saw three runs total.

Leeth went all seven innings allowing two runs on just three hits.

Catcher Seth Lowe led the Foxes at the plate going 2 for 3. Andrew Turner, Jas Skinner, Marshall Diven and Lee Tyner also logged a hit apiece for the team.

Game one was a pitcher’s dual, and while the game stayed deadlocked at 1-1 for most of the game, the Warriors managed to score in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead. That was all they needed as Hartsville was unable to score in its last at bat of game one.

Game two was a different game.

Hartsville’s Jordan Lyles was on the mound in game two for the Foxes.

In the first inning, Wando’s Danny Lynch reached base on a dribbler to shortstop. He later scored when Daniel Aldridge doubled to right field and gave Wando a 1-0 lead.

Bradley Evsich took the mound for the Warriors and gave the Foxes fits at the plate. Hartsville was unable to get the bats swinging for the entire game.

In the top of the second inning, Wando scored again. This time Charles Hill scored on a throwing error by shortstop Jas Skinner and Wando led 2-0.

In the bottom of the third inning, however, Trevor Cassidy brought the Foxes one run closer with a solo home run.

Wando answered in the top of the fifth when Will Christopher hit a blooper to centerfield that Wil Newsome couldn’t catch up with and Wando led 3-1. Then Brandon Rogalski singled in another run for the Warriors, and they took a 4-1 lead.

The Foxes countered in the bottom of the fifth when Shane Watford and Skinner scored on an error by the Wando second baseman. The Wando lead was down to 4-3.

However, Wando would answer.

They scored two more runs in the sixth to extend their lead to 6-3, and Hartsville was unable to close the gap.

Wando head coach Jeff Blankenship was excited after the game. “We knew they were throwing Lyles in game two, so we knew if we won game one, it would still be an uphill battle. Seeing him the second time around, we thought that was an advantage. Jordan Lyles is a phenomenal pitcher, but we just got some timely hitting tonight and got it done.

The loss was unexpected and brought the Hartsville season to an end prematurely.

Hartsville head coach Jacob Shumate was visibly disappointed in the loss, and tears ran down the faces of Hartsville’s seniors.

“The first game, they threw their ace,” Shumate said. “Leeth pitched a heck of a game, and they got it done. We played hard, but they got it done. There’s nothing to look back on and wish you could have done differently.”

Shumate said the second game was a different story. “I never, in a million years, thought that would have happened, but it did. Jordan [Lyles] battled like he always does. We just popped up a lot and had some poor at bats. It seemed like every time we would do something, they would have an answer. It’s fighting an uphill battle. But these kids never quit, and they didn’t quit tonight.”

Shumate also said this is a tough loss to absorb. “It’s tough for the kids, the coaches and all of us. As much time as we put in out here, it’s tough to end like this. You just don’t want to go out that way. I think last year is how you want to go out, as state champion. I don’t think anybody thought it would end any other way. And when it doesn’t happen, it’s really tough to get. This loss is going to hurt these kids, and it’s going to hurt us all for a while. It’s just going to hurt. Our young kids will bounce back. It is just going to take a little time to get over it.”